Esteemed chef and restaurateur Jessi Singh has opened Mr Brownie in South Melbourne, a pub with an Indian-British leaning.
Singh, who co-owns restaurants Mrs Singh, Daughter In Law, Horn Please, Don’t Tell Aunty, Babu Ji NYC, and Bibi Ji, has made his first foray into a pub offering, with today’s opening of Mr Brownie. The four-level pub on Clarence Street in South Melbourne is a vibrant take on an Indian-British pub, where curry will be the star of the menu.
The venue comprises a ground-floor Punjabi-style deli, a 70-pax footpath beer garden, bistro dining room, rooftop terrace with city views, and the Boom Boom Room — a basement cocktail and dancing lounge that will be opened until late into the night.
“There’s a real sense of community in South Melbourne that we can’t wait to be a part of. If you’re picking up takeaways, popping in for a drink or staying for a dance, Mr Brownie welcomes everyone,” stated Singh.
The ground-floor Punjabi-style deli will sell Singh’s “unauthentic Indian-British pub food”, available to eat in or takeaway. It will also have a 500-strong beer list, complemented by a curated selection of international and Australian wines.
In the first- floor main pub area, guests can expect Indian-British pub fare, though everything available at the ground-floor bodega can be purchased and consumed on any of the levels. The rooftop terrace has city skyline views and will support everything from brunch to dance parties in the early hours of the morning.
The Boom Boom Room, a speakeasy-style basement cocktail and dancing lounge is only accessible via a concealed wall of beer cans, which opens down to an underground space offering bespoke cocktails and 16 tap beers.
‘Wear your comfy shoes and let the fun begin,’ stated Singh.
Mr Brownie is open to the public from today in accordance with current Victorian trading restrictions.
Image: Parker Blain